Unfair
by Caliente
Summary: one-shot post-Ascension vignette set vaguely in the future –– It's been a few years and a lot has changed. Kitty contemplates them... and Bobby Drake as they share monitor duty on Christmas Eve.


**Author's Note: **First and foremost, this fic is a gift for Sue. The pairing is not one that I've ever really written, especially in this fandom, but… I think it's fun. Anyway, this is a few years (four or so) post-Ascension but everything should be pretty clear. Stand-alone fluff fic for the season.  
**Disclaimer:** Unfortunately, I don't own 'em. Any of 'em. Le sigh.

**Unfair  
**by, Caliente

It was, she decided, totally unfair. And, even though she couldn't do a damn thing about it, she _could_ pout. Nothing, not even the annoyingly endearing look on his face as he told the punch line of his joke, was going to stop her. Nope. Not stopping. Nope. No, no, no, no, no. "Damn you Bobby Drake," she muttered, turning her head away as she tried to keep from laughing. She couldn't keep from smiling, it was too late for that, but she wasn't laughing. She'd never hear the end of it if she did…

Taking a long moment to compose herself, which she masked by busying herself with the computer in front of her, she finally managed to dull her grin down to a small smile and look at him again. He was still grinning madly at her, amusement dancing in his eyes. She rolled hers at him in return. "So, Mr. Drake," she started, running a hand through her hair, "what're _you_ doing here on Christmas Eve? You're not Jewish and I know you have a family to go home to, so…?"

He shrugged at her, unable to stop a slightly dark look from coming onto his face. "Oh, well, psh. Holidays. You know how it is." He waved his hands in a way that told her he thought he'd just explained himself very well.

"Yeah, see, that's not an answer," Kitty pointed out, stretching out in her computer chair. Which, really, made it all the more interesting. And here she'd thought this evening was going to be just another boring night stuck on monitor duty. (Honestly, the things they leave out when they sell you the X-Men package.) "So, I repeat: What are you doing here on Christmas Eve?"

Scratching the back of his neck, Kitty was surprised by the expression on his face. It was so… tired? Defeated? Something not good. Maybe she shouldn't have asked after all. "I just didn't feel like going home is all," Bobby replied evenly, slouching down in his chair in a way that reminded her of his fifteen-year-old self. Hard to believe the prankster was twenty. And, God, that she was twenty-one. She was getting old. The horror of it all! He looked at her, eyes almost pleading not to be pressed any further.

So, she didn't. Hey, it was Christmas Eve, after all. Wasn't that supposed to be the time for, like, patience and kindness and crap like that? She wasn't entirely sure on the logistics of it all but Kitty didn't mind cutting Bobby a break this time. The way he looked, whatever it was, it was already weighing heavily on his mind. She didn't need to push him. She wasn't Je- Scott. She wasn't a leader. She was barely a team member anymore what with school and everything else.

Honestly, one haircut and everyone treated a girl differently. Had she really been that vain! Okay, maybe she kind of was but… well, she'd needed a change. The others – they didn't understand. Sure, they'd all lost people but everyone… they all figured she was still that stupid perky teenager who said, "like," all the time and could never shut the hell up. They were wrong. And she was going to show them, no matter what it took. Just because Kurt and Rogue were still there didn't mean she was unscarred.

So, she smiled and tried to be optimistic… so what? It didn't mean Jean's betrayal with the Phoenix thing hadn't hurt her too. It didn't mean that her break-up with Piotr had been easy. It didn't mean that Professor Xavier's departure hadn't been like losing her father. Again. "Why couldn't everything stay like it was?" she murmured, unaware she'd even spoken aloud.

"Yeah," Bobby agreed half-heartedly, eyes downcast as he startled Kitty from her thoughts. She was grateful he hadn't seen her jump, at least. Never would've heard the end of that.

A low string of curses unbefitting of the Kitty-Kat flew from her mouth before she could stop them. Byproduct of hanging out with Rogue, she supposed. But then she looked at Bobby again and realized that maybe, just maybe, she was the one who couldn't see. Yeah, she was hurting. But so was Bobby. After all, he was there on Christmas Eve instead of, well, anywhere else.

Smiling a bittersweet smile at him, she nodded lightly. "Yeah. Don't you just miss the days when Apocalypse was our big super-villain to battle and the world hated and feared us? Instead of, you know, just hating us." She tried to keep her tone light but the anger still managed to creep in. Why did they have to battle each other? Why were they so divided…? They weren't a family anymore, they were a militant group. More than one, even. It wasn't right.

Bobby shook his head. "Heh, yeah," he agreed. "Those were the days." Back at BHS, when Kelly was their big political threat. Back before Sam and them left. Before Dani joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and there were more so-called super hero teams than you could shake a fist at. He missed them too; she could see it on his face. He missed his family as much as she did.

A thoughtful silence fell between them and they both just sort of… stared ahead. It felt like forever before Kitty finally snapped out of it, her eyes falling on the time. Ack, it was late. And she had to be up bright and early in the morning if she wanted to escape the wrath of Cyclops. Honestly, the man needed a damn family. Or to leave the Institute for something other than missions and groceries. He was going to go insane. And take them all with him.

Standing up, Kitty gave a wide yawn and stretched. "Well…" She looked at Bobby who was looking at her with a slightly glazed expression. Yeah, he was gone too. She didn't bother trying to hide her smile this time. It was too late for pretenses. "I think I'm going to hit the hay." She headed for the door. "You should think about it too. It's pretty late and Sergeant Summers gets up at the crack of dawn."

He nodded, following in suit with the stand and yawn/stretch action. Walking over to her, he slung an arm around her shoulders and rubbed his eyes. "Sounds like a plan. Your room or mine?" He wagged his eyebrows at her and she burst out laughing.

"As if!" she cried, pushing his arm off of her shoulders. "Besides," she continued with a pointed glance down, "I wouldn't want to have to worry about," she leaned close as her voice dropped, "shrinkage." Pulling back, she laughed again at the expression on his face. It was too hilarious. Poor kid. She patted his cheek gently as he opened and closed his mouth in either a vain attempt to think of a response or a great guppy imitation.

Kitty was prevented from leaving, however, when he reached out and latched onto her wrist. Turning back to him with a questioning look on her face, she saw him pointing up at the doorframe. Mistletoe. Looking at Bobby again, she was surprised to see there were no traces of a smile on his face now.

Instead, he slowly moved toward her, gently releasing her wrist and wrapping his arm around her waist instead. He guided her toward his body, using his free hand to tip her chin up toward him. Her eyes closed almost without her permission and, a moment later, she felt soft lips on her own. It should've lasted for only an instant, a mere brush of the lips, but he lingered. And then, without warning, it was over.

Slowly opening her eyes again, Kitty blinked at Bobby for a few moments. They stared at each other, neither saying a word, until his face broke into a smile. She felt hers do the same. He released her waist, gently tucking one of her stray hairs behind her ear with his other hand. "Happy Hannukah Kitty," he whispered as he stood up straight.

"Merry Christmas Bobby," she replied, taking the first step through the door. "Good night and sweet dreams." She waved before walking on invisible stairs up through the ceiling. So, it wasn't fireworks. It wasn't magic. It wasn't romance. But it was a kiss. A really sweet kiss. Her first since Piotr. She touched her fingers to her lips and smiled again. Not a bad kiss either. Huh. Go figured. Bobby. Who would've thunk it…?

Still smiling as she phased into her room and out of her clothes, Kitty shucked her pajamas on as quickly as possible and collapsed onto her bed. She touched her lips again and shook her head. Weird. Not bad just… weird. Hmm. Whatever. Sleep now, thinking later. Hadn't been such a bad Christmas Eve, though. Maybe, just maybe, things weren't so unfair after all…

* * *

Please, let me know what you think! Reviews are like… oxygen. Necessary. Yes, very necessary. And you'd never want to deprive me of oxygen, right? Hello…? 


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